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Head Gasket Leaks For
1988-95 Honda 1.5L Engines
The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information on head gasket leaks for 1988-95 Honda 1.5L engines. This bulletin concerns complaints of engine oil leaking externally or coolant entering the combustion chambers. This information applies to all 1.5L Civic engines except those equipped with the VTEC engine.
The information in this bulletin also supersedes service bulletin 97-047, dated September 29, 1997 published by Honda. The current corrective action prescribed by Honda involves installing a new style (MLS) cylinder head gasket and the new head bolts Part #90005-PM3-004 (10 required). It is important to note that the torque procedure listed below should only be used for the new revised style head gasket Part # 12251-P01-004.
Use the following procedure listed below to install the revised MLS gasket for 1988-95 1.5L engines.
1. Carefully remove all gasket material from the head and the block with gasket solvent and an adequate scraper. The head and block mating surfaces must be clean, flat, and smooth for the new head gasket to seal properly. NOTE: Do not use power tools or abrasives to remove the gasket material, as they will damage the head and block surfaces, causing the new head gasket to leak.
2. Before the gasket solvent dries, rinse any pieces of the gasket from the coolant passages in the head and block with water. You must remove all of the gasket material to prevent engine overheating.
3. Position a new head gasket on the block and install the cylinder head. Do not use any gasket sealers (Honda gasket) on the gasket or mating surfaces.
4. Apply engine oil to the threads and washers of the new cylinder bolts. Install the bolts, and torque them in the sequence and steps shown. Do not use the head bolt tightening steps in the service manuals.
5. Step 1. Tighten all 10 bolts in sequence to 14 ft/lbs (20 Nm).
Step 2. Tighten all 10 bolts in sequence to 36 ft/lbs (49 Nm).
Step 3. Tighten all 10 bolts in sequence to 49 ft/lbs (67 Nm).
Step 4. Tighten bolts 1 and 2 to 49 ft/lbs (67 Nm) again.
The AERA Technical Committee

HEAD GASKET LEAKS

Head Gasket Leaks On
1985-95 Honda 1.5L, D15B1, D15B2 Engines
The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information on head gasket oil or coolant leaks on 1985-95 Honda Civic 1.5L D15B1 & D15B2 engines. This
condition of the head gasket will allow coolant into the combustion chamber or external oil leaks.
A head gasket allowing coolant into the combustion chamber or oil leaks externally, should be replaced by a new style head gasket and new head bolts. Honda offers the following parts to resolve either above-mentioned condition. A cylinder gasket kit: H/C ***0031 kit includes one cylinder head gasket (new-
style) Part # 12251-P01-004 H/C 4489530, cylinder head bolts (10 required to be used with new style gasket only) Part #90005-PM3-004 H/C 2894988.
Follow the steps listed below to successfully resolve leaks and install the new-style head gasket.
1. Carefully remove all gasket material from the head and the block with gasket
solvent and a heavy-duty scraper. Head and block mating surfaces must be
clean, flat and smooth for the new gasket to seal properly.
1. Note: DO NOT use power tools or abrasives to remove the gasket material;
they would damage the head and block surfaces, causing the new head
gasket to leak.
2. Before the gasket solvent dries, rinse any pieces of the gasket from the
coolant passages in the head and block with water. You must remove all of
the gasket material to prevent engine overheating.
3. Install the cylinder head with the new-style gasket. Do not use any gasket
sealers.
4. Apply engine oil to the threads and washers of the new cylinder head bolts.
Install the bolts, and torque them in the sequence and steps shown in Figure
1. DO NOT use the head bolt tightening steps listed in the service manual
when using this new-style gasket.
CYLINDER HEAD BOLT TORQUE SEQUENCE:
1. Tighten all 10 bolts to 14-ft lbs. (20N.m).
2. Tighten all 10 bolts to 36-ft lbs. (49N.m).
3. Tighten all 10 bolts to 49-ft lbs. (67N.m).
4. Tighten all 10 bolts to 49-ft lbs. (67N.m).
Note: If you are replacing a non-leaking head gasket during a routine engine repair on these 1988-95 engines, using an original-style head gasket along
with the old head bolts is acceptable. For those instances, install the cylinder head using the torque & procedures commonly published in service manuals.
The AERA Technical Committee

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET LEAK ON 1988-95 CIVIC ENGINES

Cylinder Head Gasket Leak On
1988-95 1.6L Honda Civic Engines
The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding a cylinder head gasket leak on 1988-95 1.6L Honda Civic engines. This information does not apply to the VTEC engines. Customers may comment that oil is leaking externally or complain of a coolant loss.
The information in this bulletin also supersedes Honda service bulletin 97-047, dated September 29, 1997. The current corrective action prescribed by Honda involves installing a new style (MLS) cylinder head gasket and the new head bolts Part #90005-PM3-004 (10 required). It is important to note that the torque procedure listed below should only be used for the new revised style head gasket Part # 12251-P01-004.
Use the following procedure listed below to install the revised MLS gasket for 1988-95 1.6L Non-VTEC engines.
1. Carefully remove all gasket material from the head and the block with gasket solvent and an adequate scraper. The head and block mating surfaces must be clean, flat, and smooth for the new head gasket to seal properly. NOTE: Do not use power tools or abrasives to remove the gasket material, as they will damage the head and block surfaces, causing the new head gasket to leak.
2. Before the gasket solvent dries, rinse any pieces of the gasket from the coolant passages in the head and block with water. You must remove all of the gasket material to prevent engine overheating.
3. Position a new head gasket on the block and install the cylinder head. Do not use any gasket sealers (Honda gasket) on the gasket or mating surfaces.
4. Apply engine oil to the threads and washers of the new cylinder bolts. Install the bolts, and torque them in the sequence and steps shown. Do not use the head bolt tightening steps in the service manuals.
Step 1. Tighten all 10 bolts in sequence to 14 ft/lbs (20 Nm).
Step 2. Tighten all 10 bolts in sequence to 36 ft/lbs (49 Nm).
Step 3. Tighten all 10 bolts in sequence to 49 ft/lbs (67 Nm).
Step 4. Tighten bolts 1 and 2 to 49 ft/lbs (67 Nm) again.
The AERA Technical Committee

PURGING AIR FROM CIVIC COOLING SYSTEM

Purging Air From The Cooling System On
Honda Civic Engines
AERA members have reported engine overheating and inoperative cooling fans on Honda Civic automobiles after cylinder head or engine service.
On these automobiles, it is possible for air to become trapped in the intake manifold or cylinder head when the cooling system is refilled. Coolant may not circulate to the sensor portion of the thermostat, resulting in cooling fans not working.
Eliminate air pockets by bleeding the cooling system:
1) Refill the cooling system and raise the right front corner of the automobile with
a suitable jack.
2) Set the heater temperature selector to maximum and leave the blower fan off.
3) With the radiator cap off, start the engine.
4) When the engine reaches normal operating temperatures, open the air bleed
screw until coolant flows in a steady stream. Wear protective gloves to
prevent burns from hot coolant.
5) Lower the car and fill the radiator and the coolant reservoir. Close the cooling
system and verify that the cooling fan works on schedule.
The AERA Technical Committee